System and method for interacting with digital video recorders through networking applications

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus are provided. The method includes the steps of providing a web or social networking account within a chat server for a digital video recorder (DVR) of a security system, the DVR receiving a chat message from a person through the chat server, and the DVR automatically executing a predetermined instruction corresponding to a content of the chat message.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/778,541 filed Feb. 27, 2013.

FIELD

The field of the invention relates to security systems and, more particularly, to methods of accessing information within a security system.

BACKGROUND

Security systems are generally known. Such systems are typically used to protect people and/or assets within a secured area. The secured area is often surrounded by a physical barrier (e.g., walls, fence, etc.) with one or more portals (e.g., windows, doors, etc.) to allow the entrance and/or egress of authorized persons and materials.

Within the secured area may be a number of sensors coupled to an alarm panel. The sensors may be coupled to each of the doors and/or windows in order to detect intruders as they pass through or may operate in a more general sense to detect motion within portions of the secured area.

The alarm panel may detect an intruder via activation of one of the sensors and sound a local alarm. Alternatively, the alarm panel may send an alarm message to a central monitoring station.

In some cases, the sensors may include one or more video cameras. The video cameras may be motion activated or record video from the secured area into one or more video files.

While such systems work well, it is not always possible for an owner to be available to respond to alarms. Accordingly, a need exists for better methods of accessing from remote locations the information generated by operation of the security system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts an alarm system shown generally in accordance with an illustrated embodiment; and

FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram of the DVRs and networking system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

While embodiments can take many different forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles hereof as well as the best mode of practicing the same. No limitation to the specific embodiment illustrated is intended.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a security system 10 shown generally in accordance with an illustrated embodiment. The system 10 may be used to protect people and/or assets within a secured area 12 via operation of one or more sensors 14, 16 and/or cameras 18, 20.

An alarm panel 22 within the secured area 12 may be provided within the secured area 12 to monitor the sensors 14, 16 and the cameras 18, 20. Included within the alarm panel 22 (or within the respective components of the alarm panel) may be a number of processor apparatuses (processors) 24, 26 operating under control of one or more computer programs 28, 30 loaded from a non-transitory computer readable medium (memory) 32. As used herein, reference to a step of a computer program 28, 30 is also a reference to the processor 24, 26 that executed that step.

One or more digital video recorders (DVRs) 34, 36 may also be provided within the alarm panel 22. The DVRs 34, 36 may operate to record video received from cameras 18, 20 within one or more video files 38, 40.

In operation, a monitoring processor 24, 26 may monitor the state of the sensors 14, 16 and cameras 18, 20 for indication of the presence of an intruder. In this case, the sensors 14, 16 may include one or more limit switches attached to the doors or windows blocking access to the secured area 12. Similarly, the cameras 18, 20 may include one or more motion detection processors that detect motion in a field of view of the respective camera 18, 20 and send an alert to the alarm panel 22. Upon detection of an intruder, an alarm processor 24, 26 within the alarm panel 22 may send an alarm message to a central monitoring station 42. The central monitoring station 42 may respond by alerting a local police department.

The DVRs 34, 36 may record video from each of the cameras 18, 20 continuously or only upon detection of motion within a respective field of view of the camera 18, 20. In this regard, each of the DVRs 34, 36 may include its own motion detection processor 24, 26 or may rely upon operation of a motion detection processor operating from within each of the respective cameras 18, 20. Upon detecting motion from one of the cameras 18, 20, the corresponding DVR may save a sequence of video frames from the camera along with an identifier of the camera 18, 20 through which motion was detected.

Associated with the alarm panel 22 may be a user interface 44. The user interface may include a display 46. The display 46 may be a touch screen display, or the user interface 44 may include a separate keyboard 48 through which a user may enter commands. Commands, in this case, may be directed to a processor 24, 26 that arms, disarms, or otherwise controls the security system 10. Alternatively, the commands may be directed to a video processor 24, 26 of the DVRs 34, 36 that displays video from the cameras 18, 20 on the display 46.

Under the illustrated embodiment, the DVRs 34, 36 or alarm panel 22 may include a chat networking processor 24, 26 that interacts with a chat server 50 to process messages from a user 54. In this regard, a user working through the user interface 44 or user device 54 may open a web or social networking account 56 (e.g., a Gmail account 58, a Facebook account 60, a Skype account 62, etc.) on a web or social networking (chat) server 50 (as indicated separately in FIG. 2) using an appropriate network address (e.g., DVR1chat@gmail.com) of the DVR 34, 36.

Once the DVR has its own social networking account, an authorized user 54 may add the DVR 34, 36 as a contact under the corresponding social networking account. For example, the user may send a friend request to the DVR 34, 36 at the address of the DVR (e.g., DVR1chat@gmail.com). The user may then sign into the account of the DVR on behalf of the DVR and accept the friend request.

Once the friend request is accepted by the DVR, the user is able to view the status of the DVR and chat with the DVR 34, 36 much like chatting with any other friend. The user can chat with the DVR through any of a number of applications that are commonly available and commonly loaded onto the mobile device 54. For example, in the case of Gmail, the person can chat with the DVR through a chat client (e.g., a chat window, web page, etc.) presented on a display of the user device 54.

Once the DVR 34, 36 is powered up and is active, its contact becomes available online through the chat server 50. The user 54 can view video of a camera 18, 20 connected to the DVR by initiating a video chat session to the social networking address (contact) of the DVR. In this regard, a DVR sub-system (e.g., instruction processor 24, 26) may attach a video sequence to a chat response to the user 54. The sub-system shows the requested video as its own video in the client window of the video chat session. Similarly, the user can retrieve other information, like alarms, by sending pre-defined instructions (chat messages) to the DVR contact. This enables the user to retrieve video and information from the DVR without the need for any specialized video surveillance software.

In this regard, the software programs 28, 30 allow the software sub-systems to connect and interact with the Gmail/Skype/Facebook or other networking web sites. As noted above, the process begins by creating a Gmail, Skype, or Facebook account for the DVR. The DVR system will accept requests (e.g., friend requests) only from authorized preconfigured users, and requests from other users will be rejected. Hence, other unauthorized users cannot view video from the DVRs 34, 36.

When the DVR receives a chat message from the user, a message processor of the DVR compares the content of the message with a message table to identify a match and retrieve a corresponding instruction to be executed by the instruction processor of the DVR. By finding a match, the DVR understands the message and responds back with the requested information through the appropriate sub-system. For instance, if the DVR contact receives the chat message “Camera 1 video”, then the DVR will establish a video call providing the real-time video of the requested camera, which the user can view in the chat client (window).

Under another example, if the DVR contact should receive the chat message “alarms”, then the DVR may send a list of active alarms to the user. In this case, the message processor may compare the word alarms with the contents of the message table, find a match, and retrieve the corresponding instruction. The instruction processor may send a query to an alarm processor of the alarm panel 22 requesting a list of active alarms. A formatting processor may reformat the list into the appropriate format for transmission and display in the chat client of the user 54.

The software sub-system 28, 30 also allows the user 54 to change the configuration of the DVR via one or more chat messages. For example, by sending the chat message “Boost Camera 1” to the DVR contact, the user is able to trigger boosted recording (e.g., frames per second, the number of frames recorded after detection of movement, etc.) by one of the cameras controlled by the DVR.

The software sub-system 28, 30 also provides an alternative method through which the owner of the premises 12 may contact the remote operators (persons) of the central monitoring station 42. In this case, the message may have a format that includes an indicator of the destination, a colon, and a text message (e.g., “Central Monitoring Station: Is my system in alarm?”). The instruction processor of the DVR forwards these messages to the video monitoring software used by the central monitoring station 42 and causes the central station software to present the text to the remote central station operators of the secured area 12. The central station operators may respond to the owner in a similar manner.

The software sub-system 28, 30 may also be extended to other security devices from which real time information needs to be viewed. For example, the chat system could be used to view the status of fire detectors within the secured area in a similar manner.

In general, the system 10 provides a number of advantages over prior methods. For example, users are able to view the video from a selected DVR and send and retrieve information without the need for any specialized surveillance software. This can be accomplished using existing social networking sites, Instant Messaging applications, etc.

In addition, the user experiences no difference between chatting with a friend and chatting with the DVR in sending and receiving information. If the user does not use the correct syntax in any particular situation, then the instruction processor may respond with a list of options via the appropriate chat response.

The DVR responds in a manner that appears to be instantaneous. This allows users to retrieve real-time information available to the DVR.

Only authorized users are able to view and retrieve information from the DVRs. In this regard, different authorized users may send friend requests and receive responses in substantially the same way as discussed above. Similarly, the DVRs 34, 36 may be assigned different contact addresses (e.g., DVR1chat@gmail.com, DVR2chat@gmail.com, etc.).

The software sub-system 28, 30 provides a user-friendly and interactive way of connecting with the DVR for review of video and other information. The user perceives little difference in the displayed information between that displayed by the system 10 directly and that displayed by the device 54.

In general, the system 10 provides a method and apparatus for displaying information. The method includes the steps of providing a web or social networking account within a chat server for a digital video recorder (DVR) of a security system, the DVR receiving a chat message from a person through the chat server, and the DVR automatically executing a predetermined instruction corresponding to a content of the chat message.

The system 10 may include a web or social networking account established within a chat server for a digital video recorder (DVR) of a security system, a chat message received by the DVR from a person through the chat server, and a predetermined instruction corresponding to a content of the chat message automatically executed by the DVR. Alternatively, the system 10 may include a digital video recorder (DVR) of a security system, a networking processor of the DVR that interfaces with a chat server through a web or social networking account established within the chat server for the DVR, a message processor of the DVR that processes a chat message received by the DVR from a person through the chat server, and an instruction processor of the DVR that automatically executes a predetermined instruction corresponding to a content of the chat message.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope hereof. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: associating a device of a security system with a networking account address; associating the networking account address with at least one authorized user address; receiving at least one chat message from the at least one authorized user address; comparing content of the at least one chat message with content of a message table to identify a match in the message table; identifying an instruction associated with the match in the message table; and responding to the at least one chat message by executing the instruction.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating the networking account address with the at least one authorized user address when the at least one authorized user address is associated with a preconfigured user.
 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising rejecting any association between the networking account address and a user address that is not associated with a preconfigured user.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein responding to the at least one chat message includes initiating a video chat session or a video call with the at least one authorized user address.
 5. The method of claim 4 further comprising displaying video from a camera identified in the at least one chat message in the video chat session or the video call.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein responding to the at least one chat message includes transmitting a list of active alarms in the security system to the at least one authorized user address.
 7. The method of claim 6 further comprising transmitting a query to an alarm panel of the security system to identify the active alarms.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein responding to the at least one chat message includes reconfiguring the device.
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein responding to the at least one chat message includes transmitting a query message to a central monitoring station.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the content of the at least one chat message identifies the central monitoring station.
 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the device includes a DVR of the security system.
 12. The method of claim 1 further comprising: failing to identify the match in the message table; and transmitting a list of options to the at least one authorized user address.
 13. A system comprising: circuitry that associates a device of a security system with a networking account address; circuitry that associates the networking account address with at least one authorized user address; circuitry that receives at least one chat message from the at least one authorized user address; circuitry that compares content of the at least one chat message with content of a message table to identify a match in the message table; circuitry that identifies an instruction associated with the match in the message table; and circuitry that responds to the at least one chat message by executing the instruction.
 14. The system of claim 13 wherein at least some of the circuitry is housed in the device.
 15. The system of claim 14 wherein the device includes a DVR of the security system.
 16. The system of claim 13 wherein at least some of the circuitry is housed in an alarm panel of the security system.
 17. The system of claim 13 wherein at least some of the circuitry is located in a chat server.
 18. The system of claim 13 further comprising a database device for storing the message table and a plurality of instructions associated therewith.
 19. The system of claim 13 further comprising a database device for storing a plurality of preconfigured users, wherein the at least one authorized user address is associated with at least one of the plurality of preconfigured users.
 20. The system of claim 13 wherein the circuitry that responds to the at least one chat message executes the instruction on the device or transmits a signal for remote execution of the instruction. 